Thomas whitehead



(No Model.)

T. WHITEHEADK SEWING MACHINE SHUTTLE No. 279,208. Patented June 12,1883.

7i M wafm N. VETERS. Mu-Uqmgnphcr, wnmngton. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS WHITEHEAD, OF WATERTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO I THE 'roErEE NEEDLE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SEWING-MACHINE SHUTTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 279,208, dated June 12, 1883.

Application filed September 27, 1882. (No model.)

To to whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS VVHITEHEAD, of \Vatertown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, a subject of Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, &c., have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Sewing-Machine Shuttles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in explaining its nature, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of a Singer machine shuttle provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 is also a perspective view thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan View of a shuttle fitted to receive my attachment. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the shuttle-nose, illustrating another feature of the invention; and Fig. 5 is a plan view of the shuttle with the attachment in place.

The invention embraces a sewing-machine shuttle having a self threading attachment and means for adjusting the position of one of the bobbin-bearings in relation to the other, to vary the amount of friction or tension upon the bobbin, and to adjust the space between the two bearings to bobbins ofvarying lengths The self-th reading device comprises a springarm, guide, or piece, A, which is fastened at one end to the butt of the shuttle. This arm has the curved thread-guiding edge a, the thread holes or recesses a a", and the projections or guards a The shuttle B has the hole Z), which preferably is arranged midway between the two holes a a in the spring-arm A. This hole I) has the extension I) to the shuttle-edge. In use, the thread from the bobbin is passed through the extension or slit b into the hole I), and from thence under or about the arm A, into the hole a, and from thence across the upper surface of the arm to the hole a and then under the arm to the edge of the spring. The end a of the arm is bent downwardly to enter the hole a in the shuttle, and the thread is thereby prevented from being thrown or disengaged from the curved edge or guiding portion of the arm.

' The ends a of the portions a may be bent downwardly into the holes a in the shuttle, if

' desired, and the end a} of the arm'A may be lifted to provide a passage for the thread, or

it may be lifted and the arm moved upon the fastening-serew laterally, as shown in Fig. l; or the end may not proj eet into the hole sufficiently to prevent the thread from being passed thereunder by hand in threading, but still enough to prevent the disengagement of the thread from the guide in sewing.

The tension of the spring-arm of course may be adjusted by the fastening-screw a", and preferably the arm has a downwardly-projecting' portion, a", which closes, shuts, or projects into the recess a formed in the butt of the shuttle. This construction provides a stop which limits or prevents the lateral movement of the arm upon the fastening-screw; but of course the stop for limiting the lateral move ment may be obtained in many other ways, among which may be mentioned the bending of the end of the arm downwardly to latch into the hole o as above described.

It will be observed that the thread passes between the upper surface of the shuttle and the under surface of the arm, and that it also passes over or around four shoulders, and that the tension upon the thread is obtained by the clamping action of the arm upon the thread and surface of the shuttle, and by causing it to be drawn over the shoulders; and in order that this tension may be as uniform as possible, as well as for other reasons to be mentioned, I deem: it desirable that as little friction be exerted upon the bobbin as possible; and with this idea in view, I provide the bobbin-bearing with means whereby-it may be ad justed horizontally in relation to the other bearing.

The edge of the guard A is preferably made rounding or curved, in order the better to guide the thread. It also tends to prevent too much thread from coming off the bobbin, and also for other reasons which will be apparent to any one skilled in operating shuttle-machines.

Referring to the drawings, 0 represents the bearing. It consists of a sleeve, 0, threaded upon its inside for'the reception of the adjust ing-serew c, which is inserted in the hole 0 in the nose of the shuttle, and screws into the threaded sleeve.

Between the inner end of the sleeve and the shoulder 0 there is the spring 0", which bears against the shoulder and the sleeve and automatically forces the sleeve into the shuttlecavity, bringing the head of the adj ustingscrew in contact with the shoulder.

To adjust the position of the bearing it is simply necessary to turn the screw, as by so doing the sleeve is moved either by the screw or the spring toward the nose or into the shut tle-cavity.

It will be observed that between each projection or horn a and the main part of the arm A is a passage which opens into the holes a a, and that these passages have a converging direction, and serve to guide the thread to the holes, also, that as the space between the holes a c is less than the space between the openings, the thread once in place cannot be slipped or thrown out therefrom. It will be noticed, also, that the end of each projection, a, is bent down, so as to form a rounded surface, over which the thread, as the shuttle reeiprocates, passes, and that if they were not turned down there would be great danger of the thread catching thereon.

The corners and edges of the part of the shuttle forming the slit should be beveled or rounded.

Having thus fully described my invention, I

claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. The combination of the shuttle B, having the hole I), with the thread-guide A, secured to the shuttle and extending above the said hole b, and having the holes a, a all substanhole I), and means for fastening the guide to the shuttle, all substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. The combination of the nose of the shuttle, having a shouldered hole, 0', with the internallythreaded sleeve, 0, adjusting-screwc,

and spring 0', all substantially as and for the purposes described. 7

THOMAS XVHITEHEAD. Witnesses:

V. D. PORTER, Lewis B. PORTER. 

